with victorie the ambitious with honor the couetous with monie c. scripture diuines to agree with this hellike doctrine God forbidde Wee haue better Schoole maisters then so thankes bee to God Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lyghts c. euen to this father of glory must we pray for this gyft of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of our vnderstanding may bee lightened that wee may knowe what the hope is of his calling c. It is a seconde grace and gyfte that I may so speake aboue and beyonde nature and the lyght thereof or eche mans vnderstandyng Your Saint Thomas if you woulde haue consulted but with him would haue tolde you as muche Searche the Scriptures Are yee not therefore deceyued because ye knowe not the Scriptures c. sayth our Sauiour Christ heare him As all poyntes of Diuinitie and Religion woulde bee grounded on Gods booke and the Scriptures not vpon the Philosophers and Rhetorique so especially when there is question of conscience or of doing or not doing thereafter in matters of religion shoulde wee haue recourse vnto that heauenlye 〈◊〉 but yee say The Scripture and Diuines agree to this sentence of the Philosopher when they say That we shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie our of conscience Make this sentence playner and expound it not by the first least both fall out to be very false very pernitious the better of the two make of it what you can is very perplexed darke and doubtfull at least as you set it downe and followe it This may be propounded in lecture among you by him that is your publike reader in the cases of conscience but wee haue seene to muche of your Schoole diuinitie and diuelishe doctrine in conscience to haunte your Romishe lectures or receiue that is therein taught and professed Our senses are better acquainted with the phrases of the Scriptures If this latter sentence be all one with the other and first cited out of Aristotle thē might you haue spared your Philosophers Rhetoricall sentence and rested vpon this whiche yee pretende to take out of the Scripture and Diuines The heauenly Scripture hath no neede of mans wisedome to bee vnderstood sayth one but 〈◊〉 y t reuelation of y t spirit but first I tel you I find not y t words ye set vs downe in those Scriptures whiche yee quote vs in the margin yee tell vs of beeing iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience yee sende vs to 2. Cor. 1. and to 1. Iohn 3. The Apostle in the place ye poynt vs speaketh more particularly of the testimony of a good conscience onely and of his owne that hee had in this worlde his wordes bee these Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenes not by fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the worlde c. Marke here that Saint Paul had his conuersation in the worlde not directed by his owne vnderstanding As your Philosophical sentence pretendeth not by fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God in simplicitie and godly purenes The testimonie of suche a conscience is a goodly matter and to bee reioyced in in deede let it bee if you will a 〈◊〉 feast c. And this is the oddes here betweene a heathen and a Christian life yet doth not the Apostle in this place saye generally that wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience neither yet of him selfe sayth hee so muche speaking of the testimonie of his own conscience Though I deuy not but y t faithful being receiued 〈◊〉 by gods mercy ingraffed into Christ by faith shall haue matter of 〈◊〉 in a good conscience in wel doing euen at the last day But you carry it further The Apostle in another place speaking of his fidelitie in his Ministerie and of a better conscience still then you seeme hereto note sheweth yet a higher Iudge rather and more sharper of sight who will iudge him more thoroughly then according to his owne vnderstanding and conscience Nay as one that durste not iustifie him selfe though his conscience charged him with nothing in his function hee reiecteth that iudgement from himselfe and from all men also as vnfitte and vnsufficient vnto the Lorde himselfe who at his comming will lighten thinges that are hidde in darkenesse and make the counsailes of the hearts manifest The other place yee cite to shewe wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to our conscience is out of Saint Iohns Epistle where thus it is written I must ghesse because yee neyther set downe the wordes nor the verse For thereby that is by louing in deede and truth wee knowe that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our heartes For if our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things Beloued if our heart condemne vs not then haue wee boldnesse towarde GOD. Here the Apostle speaketh of that boldnesse and enterance with confidence that the faithfull here haue towardes God by Christ Iesus and by fayth in him of the benefite thereof whiche as by a certaine marke is expressed by true and vnfaygned loue and of the lacke of this full perswasion againe what a losse it is here is nothing spoken of our being iudged at the last day according to our conscience And this is all I finde of this matter in the places of Scripture here alleadged For the Diuines that ye talke of because yee quote vs Augustin alone for all sende vs to two places 〈◊〉 him and the matter is not great what is there saide I referre it to the learned Readers iudgment that is disposed to examine the places You report heere bring in Austin for proofe that wee shall bee iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience Where Austin speaketh not of the iudgement of the last day in neither of both the Chapters Consult therefore with them from whome ye tooke these places that they may appoint you fitter for the purpose or you better followe the simplicitie and sinceritie of the sacred Scriptures If yee say Austin name conscience or speake a worde thereof in both the Chapters I graunt you 〈◊〉 you must remember with all that euery thing may not be gathered of euery worde The two places much agree the first yee recite hath relatiō to the latter hee saith not that whiche you speake heere Againe speaking very briefly as for a conclusion of his first booke of Christian doctrine Of this sentence of S. Paul The end of the commaundement is loue out of a pure hearte and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained hee sheweth wherefore the Apostle put in that
clause of a good conscience which hee putteth for hope saith Austin Learne you also saith M. Howlet to adde this worde good to conscience ioyne it with faith and keepe that bonde or knot that the Apostle maketh in this sentence And so if you can apply it to your selfe yee shall not onely haue great matter of reioycing but her Maiestie and the lawes also I doubt not to beare with your conscience and to tender the same as reason and equitie woulde and besides because the same shalbe found to agree with Gods word to be grounded thereon wee shalbee as readie to auowe and allow therof as we now are to 〈◊〉 the same for y t it is so directly contrary to the worde and therefore neither for you to flatter your selues in nor meete for the State to allowe or beare withall Wee doubt nothing but that the testimonie of a good vpright conscience is of great waight and force and to be respected and hearkened vnto So that we remember still 〈◊〉 a pure heart therewith and an vnfained faith which must euer haue the light of Gods worde goe before or accompanie the fame in the faithfull that vnder the colour of conscience other persuation or the rule of reason deceiue vs not The 〈◊〉 of all is I would haue you know conscience a right and distinguish wel betweene a good and a naughtie conscience by the Scriptures For the accord or agreement betweene your two sentences one and the first taken out of Aristotles Rhethorike that is onely good vnto euery man which eche mans vnderstanding telleth him to be good The other as is supposed out of diuinitie that wee shall be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience Make them you agree as you can I cannot see the agreement betweene them Vnderstanding is one thing and the testimonie of our cōscience is another thing good to euery man nowe and 〈◊〉 at the last day bee two Finally the two sentences as in wordes so in substance and meaning seeme vtterly to disagree I woulde therefore whereas you say the scriptures and diuines agree vnto the Philosophers saying you woulde or coulde haue made the Philosophers saying agree with the scriptures rather whiche though yee shall trauell as yee doe by enticing speache of mans wisedome to performe Yet all is but in vaine the thing will neuer come about Let Philosophie goe therefore and the Philosopher in testing the fountaine rule of good 〈◊〉 vs Christians Let Gods word and law or the holy Scriptures bee our rule there in alone according to that there is one rule and measure for one thing let reason in 〈◊〉 with your S. Thomas if ye will be the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actions let y t spirit of god be y t beginning of all good in vs that be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other Augustin a Diuine whome yee 〈◊〉 in this matter saith very well against your first sentence of Philosophie in this sentence of his Faith openeth the way to vnderstanding and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it And againe as is alleadged in your owne decrees All the life of the vnfaithfull is sinne neither can it bee good that is doone without God for where there lacketh the knowledge of the enternall vnchangeable truth there is false vertue euen in the best behauiour and manners And concerning the phrases maner of speaking of Philosophers and diuines howe different they ought to bee thus saith Austin Philosophers speake with wordes at will and in matters very harde to vnderstande feare not the offence of religious eares but we that are Christians and 〈◊〉 haue a lawe to speake after a certaine rule least libertie of speech or wordes breede wicked opinion of those things which are signified thereby And thus muche concerning your two sentences and the agreement thereof wherevpon all the rest that followeth here of this matter seemeth to be grounded Of your propositions thus taken from Philosophers Diuines yee say it followeth that whatsoeuer wee doe contrary to our iudgement and conscience is according to the apostle damnable because wee decerne it to be euill and yet doe it But that which the Apostle heere saith for all your whatsoeuer false glose must bee vnderstood in those things which are lawfull saith your owne D. Thomas in y t very next sentence verse before y t last vpon these wordes which are y t groūd of that that followeth Blessed is hee that condemneth not himselfe in that he alloweth That moderation shoulde yee haue kept but yee doe not for yee say bee the action in it selfe neuer so good and the man that doth it neuer so bad as seemeth for you name vs a Gentile or Heathen man and to confesse there is messias yet because it seemed naught in his iudgement and conscience therefore to him shall it be accounted a damnable sinne at the last day Heereby it appeareth yee holde that at the last day the testimonie of a 〈◊〉 iudgement and naughtie conscience euen of an Heathen shalbe admitted to cleere him from euill and to condemne him for doing good or that any man shalbe damned at the day for acknowledging there is a Messias against his wicked iudgement and conscience at least will there not bee other matters sufficient and I nowe thinke you to condemne such men for but that such cases and causes as these vnwonted and vnmentioned in the Scriptures shoulde after they bee by your heades deuised and moued then also be alleadged This is prophane and vaine babbling and brawling which breedeth questions rather then godlye edifiyng which is by faith which thing the holy Apostle S. Paule so carefully warneth his schollers Timothie and Titus in many places to take heede of to auoide they may beseeme your scholding disputes your subttle schooles and readinges they beseeme not her maiesties eares they agree not with the diuinitie schooles of the holy Ghoste Did your testimonies of Scriptures and Diuines you set vs downe teathe you this or whence had you it shall wee be iudged at the last day according to the testimonie of our conscience be it good bee it bad must wee bee iudged by that onely Shall it bee now good and then good and so alwayes good to the Gentile to denie the Messias because his vnderstanding iudgemēt and conscience telleth it him to bee good c. This is a maruellous and strange Paradoxe the foundation building thereon are muche alike Is there no difference nor oddes Before I further examine the matter you tell vs Let mee a litle consider howe you handle the holy Scripture with your foule handes or our euill fauoured clawes and how vntowardly you alleadge your testimonies still because wee decerne it to bee euill and yet doe it Yee quote vs for it Rom. 14. though yee name no verse yet your words seeme to sende vs to the last verse of the Chapter which hangeth on the wordes before are a reason
all Church Ministerie and functions are heere exercised by meere lay men and yet in the meane while her Maiestie accounteth iustly it to be her office and duetie and to appertaine to a kingly authoritie according to the high dignitie of her royall throne and princely estate calling to moderate by al meanes to assist according to Gods holy worde and to see the same faithfully executed by euery particular in their degree which who so 〈◊〉 or deny her Maiestie prouoke Gods heauie wrath and displeasure and she we them selues vnwoorthy to liue much lesse to enioy so great blessinges vnder so gracious a Soueraigne She taketh only y t which is by Gods word due to Princes and Ciuill Magistrates shee will suffer no one besides her selfe to be the chiefe Gouernour in her dominions vnder God Christ and the worde call yee him Prince or Prelate shee requireth her subiectes first and principally to be Gods faithfull seruauntes in duely and reuerently keeping the exercises of true Christian religion euery one in their calling expressed in the two Cables of Gods holy commaundementes which by her authoritie giuen of God shee mainteyueth and like a godly Prynce purposeth still so to doe Next vnfaynedlye to acknowledge the Soueraigntie giuen to her Maiestie from God for all outwarde and Ciuill pollicie in her dominions This iustly may shee chalenge and more she requireth not and who is there that iustly can refuse or denie her Maiesty this Out of Gods booke rere religion confirme faith edifie conscience growe and profite dayly in godly knowledge and practise thereof In summe walke in single vprightnesse of heart with God and man and where this is the more seene there are the parties the better liked and commended by her Maiestie the State y t both God may bee the truelyer serued her Maiestie obeyed and others by good example in life and conuersation edified This is that I say briefly that the profession of religion here at this day in her Matestie the State and her people is no newe profession nor any other but such as is common with the Patriarches Prophetes Apostles and all Gods faythful people that haue liued in any age and is warranted by Gods holy worde written Nowe if in bending and contendyng hereto her Maiestie the State and people euery one in their place haue not thorowly and fully attayned to their purpose in reformation and practise hitherto yet is not the profession and purpose to be blamed yea their will and affection is much to be commended and they to be encouraged and stirred vp to growe dayly from good to better in these cold naughty daies while other seeing in so waightie and necessarie a matter many and great abuses sit still and either maintaine or winke thereat Prayer in this great worke is of all and aboue all to be adioyned and such helpe of Godly knowledge wisedome counsell and other giftes as God bestoweth on any woulde bee brought forth to the aduauncement of this heauenly worke euery one keeping his boundes and calling The foule and filthie dung hill of Poperie and superstition is not so soone voy ded our sinnes are the onely or the greatest impediment and let of the full finishing of this worke if there bee any thing wanting it is our heartie repentance and vnfayned turning to GOD with thankfull heartes expressed in wordes and deedes for the graces 〈◊〉 vpon vs. In the meane while where the profession I haue spokē of is and the worke taken in hande and entred as wee see here among vs I say there are none but very obstinate and wilfull men that will refuse to come to the publike Churche assemblies to heare the worde of God preached the Sacraments of Christe and publike prayers c. comfortablie administred which that I may in other wordes somewhat formally for our aduersaries pleasure expresse thus now I frame my reason None supposed to haue Gods feare before their eies to haue care of their owne saluation to haue respect to her Maiestie and their dutie towardes so vertuous and gracious a Soueraigne her godly wholsome lawes Againe to haue due and charitable consideration of the Church of God and their Christian brethrē and common honesty among men No such I say can or ought to refuse to come to church exercises vsed here amōg vs at this day But all persons of what state or condition soeuer they be liuing in Englande are supposed to be such that is to haue Gods feare before their eies to haue care of their owne saluation to haue respect to her Maiestie and their dutie towardes so vertuous and gracious a Soueraigne and her godly and wholesome lawes Againe to haue due and charitable consideration of the churche of God and their christian brethren and common honestie among men Wherefore no persons of what state and condition soeuer they ve liuing in Englande can or ought to refuse to come to Churche exercises vsed here amongst vs at this day The conclusion or the sequell of this argument and reason being so well grounded the aduersaries cannot nor will not I thinke denie me if they will let them turne mee to the proofe of the goodnesse thereof or of the fourme of any argument I haue made them The grounde of the first part of mine argument and the reason is because amongst other godly thinges as publike prayers prouision for the poore c. Here is professed and set foorth principally in Church assemblies the Ministerie or Preaching of Gods holy worde Gospel professed the obedient hearing and receyuing thereof with the administration of Christes Sacraments according to the rule of Gods booke which be notes exercises of Gods true and faithfull congregation whereunto euery true christian ought to associate and ioyne himselfe The seconde or middle part of my reason there is none I take it would be thought so wicked as to make question or doubt of Though the 〈◊〉 and flender dealing of our aduersarie in particularly seeking to find out faultes in our church exercise in his seuenth reason bee a sufficient cleering therof to him and his worde with those y t list aduisedly and with indifferency to weigh y e same when they see he 〈◊〉 chargeth it and 〈◊〉 it vntouched for ought he 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 we shall see God willing when 〈◊〉 come thither yet because I haue not to regarde the aduersarie only but some other also and among the rest suche especially as are sunple rude somwhat ignorant Therefore will I bee bold a little to wade here in the proofe of the particular partes of that peece of mine argument wherein may seeme any 〈◊〉 or to shew the head of the fountaine spring whēce the whole is deriued Marke well the argument namely the first part of it for some furder better proofe whereof I note this that followeth None that are supposed to haue Gods feare before their eyes will refuse to come to Churche heere Why so For
dealing both of the state and them let vs heare what your Authour and friende in this Treatise ye present to her Maiestie saieth hereof When a Catholike doth come before the Commissioners there is nothing asked of him but when hee was at Church and if he will promise to goe to Church commonly they accompt him a sufficient conformable man that is to haue yeelded sufficiently vnto them Here is rigorous execution Is there not I pray you here is great extremitie cause hatefully and contemptuously to quote in your margēt M. Couper M Elmer Ah M. Howlet what shoulde I say God giue you his grace and make you an honest man Againe sediciously and deuilishly comparing the high Priests and Magistrats of Iurie with this state and likening their proceeding to a sweete charme Thus he writeth in text and margent What if the high Priestes and Magistrates shoulde haue saide vnto them well we are content that you liue with your conscience so you kepe it to your selues and trouble not the state so that you will for obedience sake some time come to our Synagogues shewing your selues comformable men to our proceedings Nay what if they shold haue said some of you also for outward shew keeping alwaies your cōsciēces to your selues must flee this odious name of Christians seeme to cōmunicate now thē with vs in our sacrifices ceremonies we are cōtēt also that som of you shalbe our officers iustices of peace coūsellers the like so that you will somtimes for orders sake punish some of those indiscret fellows of your religiō which can not be contēted to keep their cōsciences to thēselues so you wil also giue some prety sharpe charge in your circuites sessiōs assēblies alwais keping your cōsciēces to your selues if some of you also wil somtimes step vp into the pulpet and speake three or foure earnest words against this religion it shalbe very gratful vnto vs especially if you wil affirme it with an othe which wee haue deuised for y e same purpose this doing we assure you that you shall liue quietly to your own cōsciēces we shal accoūt you for good subiects If I say y e Magistrats of Iury at that time shold haue giuē to the apostls other christiās this sweet charme do you think that they cold haue abidē to heare it al out whose hearts did rise swel at two words only that they spoke for the intreating of them to holde their peace Heere is good gentle stuffe But sweet charmes terrible tempests such persecution as neuer was felt nor hearde tell of in Englād before Her royall Maiestie her vpright laws against popery other such false religiōs her graue wise godly Counsellors y e ministers of her Maiesties Iaws with other of the state here neither feare nor regarde your false accusations nor your impudent slanders they can not reach to come nere thē they pitie rather your wāt of discrettō modestie y t I say no more You can not accuse or charge her 〈◊〉 Iaws or y e ministers therof but you touch her honour too nere who giueth her royall assent to all lawes here made her Maiesties Iawes counsellors ministers w t better accord draw all in one line one way then you seeme to allow or like of That her maiestie in y t sight of all y e world as you confesse hath shewed you so great mercy clemency that doeth but encrease your debt dutie and aggrauate your fault y e more who so vnkindly vnnaturally recompence her highnesse great goodnes by withdrawing your selues from y e alleagians obedience which you owe to God her Maiestie which shee requireth also at your handes duty bindeth you to perfourme you pay couer all w t faire flattering wordes dissimulation nothing else commeth from you to her Maiestie It hath bin of her Maiesties godly inclination and good nature not of your deserts y t 〈◊〉 hath so oftē pardoned so long forborne you She hath not nor doth not ouerthrow nor alter her good laws prouided against poperie and treason If you be not too too obstinate miserable let former clemency moue you to amende els take things as they fall out her Maiesties laws the penalties thereof stand not for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abuse not your self other M. Howlet To sean pollitique lawes y e execution therof is not our profession yours I meane as I take it mine Their godly wisedomes y t make execute y t lawes ye now plaine of are aboue our reach you take too much vpō you being a priuate man not of counsel of making these lawes so vndutifully to checke cōtroule y e same you might like a good obedient subiect take heede of incurring the penalty consider by y e execution therof y t the end was to represse popery massing c. If you will not heare my counsell you might heare your owne fellowe in his discourse or your selfe in y e latter ende of the discourse which for y e most part thereof is twise set down for failing That the catholike Church hath alwaies taught her childrē that how hardly so euer their prince shold deale with them yet are they boūd to beare it patiently to obey him for consciēce sake as substitute of God placed in that roome for their punishmēt if they rule not wel w e 〈◊〉 not to the subiect to iudge of You loue to tel what y e catholik church 〈◊〉 therby shew y t y e Popish church is not y t true catholike church you come not frō the Pope of Rome hither w t this lesson you haue another cōmission There was little space of time betweene the ariual of the Italian Romish souldiers in Ireland and the flight hither of such spirituall birdes 〈◊〉 the Pope as you are your chalenges and bookes were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this treatise as fast as mightbe afterward published iwis you might if it so pleasd you aforde as much reuerēce in truth to her 〈◊〉 the ciuill state vnder God in gouerning y e cōmon welth outwardly as you doe in the false Hier archie to your Popish 〈◊〉 c. with commanding authoritie laying vpon 〈◊〉 obedience with necessitie Your malapert importunitie hath drawen and 〈◊〉 mee of duty zeale to speake thus farre for clearing defence of her maiesties wholsome iawes the execution thereof by her ministers rather then y t any need required the same except it be in respect of y e simpler sort And yet M. Howlet let me be bold to tell you that euen in this place where you so inueighe agaynst the terreur of lawes against your religion yee iustifie greatly the moderation and equitie of her Maiesties lawes and cannot denie but there hath been to great mildenesse vsed towards you in respect of the naughtines of your religion thus you say
Pope as it was Himself also to plaine of that matter by his Embassadour in the Councell at Lions to represse the Popes Legate in this land 〈◊〉 were the Popes exactions here then What demeanour of Pope and popelinges was that towardes King Henrie the second before to take his Crowne from his head and so villanously to vse him in maintenance and defence of a villanous traitours cause as is reported I doe but occasion the Reader to consider of the hurly burlies of this false Catholike Churche and religion What was that demeanour to excommunicate King John to discharge his subiects of the oth of allegeance to stirre vp warre against him and at lengthto bereaue the King both of kingdome and life after hee had giuen his wicked definitiue sentence that hee shoulde bee deposed from his estate and had enioyned the execution thereof to y t French King for remissiō of his sinnes tohaue for his rewarde the kingdome of Englande he and his successours for euer Hee called this king Iohn his Vassall or tenant for y t after the Pope by his Legate 〈◊〉 phus had taken the Kinges Crowne into his hande once the good King coulde no other wise after inioy it but that hee must acknowledge that hee and his heires must receiue the same from the Pope This dealing of Pope Innocentius against King John may not bee thought strange for that in a solemne Councell helde vnder him at Rome we finde it decreed that if a Temporall Lorde being admonished by the Church doeneglect to purge his lande from heresie wee knowe what they called heresie then he shoulde bee excommunicated by the Metropolitane and the other Bishops of his Prouince and if he refused to make satisfaction within a yeere it shoulde bee signified to the Pope that hee from thence foorth shoulde pronounce his Subiectes to be free from keeping or yeelding fidelitie to such a temporall Lorde should expose his land to be inuaded by Catholik es To come nearer home and to speake of that most mightie Prince of famous memorie King Henrie the eight within mans remembrance what demeanour and proceeding was vsed in cursing excommunicating and suche like styrre keeping to disturbe that victorious King of Englande and the State of the whole Realme For our liege Ladie and dread Soueraigne most high and noble Queene Elizabeth what and howe many thinges haue beene attempted and howe many wayes also and yet still are the thing is freshe and common the rebellions so late in memorie the dayly practises and attemptes by Gods Prouidence so reuealed and met withal as I think yee can haue no face to stande in the deniall though your Epistle blushe not Shortly to say What Englishman soeuer borne in this Realme shall denie the superioritie or refuse to submit him selfe vpon the grounde of his faith giuen to the Pope of his Popish or Romane religion vnder the power authoritie and ciuill gouernement of our dread Soueraigne and Iawfull Queene Elizabeth as Gods Lieuetenant or chiefe minister be he Apostle Euangelist Prophet or whosoeuer and howsoeuer els yee list to call him in resisting the order and ordinance of G O D hee is to bee reputed of all men Gods enimie and no good Christian but a very naughtie man in so doing c. But suche are your English Romane or hot Catholikes as her Maiestie and the State chargeth you and all the worlde seeth and you your selues dissemble not in allowing your Popes Bulles and other writinges therevppon grounded agreeable thereto and in your ouuert and open dealinges whereof may easily bee gathered what maner of men yee are to be reputed towards God and the world although I hope well in God that there bee not many such heere in England Yf because you bee disputers yee aske Scholasticall argumentes and yet if one argue with you out of the scriptures you make little account thereof thinking the bare Scriptures so can yee speake too sclender stuffe to conuince you withall Therefore grounding vpon your owne doctrine which is of more waight with you and vppon the lawe of this Realme which decideth cases of Treason here I purpose God before to prooue some what further this way Albeit I must suppose that you bee not ignoraunt of the pointes of your owne doctrine and that true hearted Englishmen knowe the Soueraigntie of our Prince and Queene and so their duties towardes her Maiestie taught them first in Gods worde and afterwarde expressed heere further by the lawes of this Realme in Acts of Parliament c Yet hauing layed the one and the other as the foundation of the arguments that I minde to make you Let mee so much as shalbee necessarie heereunto note in summe the the wordes of your doctrine and our lawe and then from both see if I can frame some fewe Scholasticall arguments that yee may thereby perceiue that it is not hard for him that list y t way to exercise himselfe to bring many substantial argumēts against you in this case of doctrin demeanour of disobedience and Treason towards superiours Thus is it written in your popish decrees and thence taken and repeated by your D. Thomas in his summe where he treateth of subiects discharge frō the gouernemēt of their princes and from their othe and fidelitie towardes them Wee holding the statutes of our holy predecessours by Apostolique authoritie doe absolue them from their bonde which are bound by fidelitie or othe to them that be excommunicated and by all meanes forbid that they keepe not fidelitie to them till suche time as they come to satisfaction Now adde to this your Popes late traiterous Bulles in her Maiestics case and this Realmes wher with you are but too wel acquainted forget not your owne profession and doing at this day And so let the perpetuall doctrine of your supreme pastour and his supreme authoritie acknowledged receiued and in practise followed by you bee for one parte the grounde and proofe of the Arguments that I shall propounde vnto you Or if you 〈◊〉 furder let N. Saunders a principall piller of your Popish English Synagogue beyonde Sea speake particularly for all Of whose speache in this case I haue giuen you a taste before out of his visible Monarchie On the other part let those that bee presently of that state heere to go no furder of speake on the other side and reporte vs whether you hot Catholikes bee traitours c or no Fume not fret not at my wordes nor at any other priuate mans but examine y e matter your owne cōscience herein And because yee talke of the renting of your Catholike hearts at these wordes and the like which being double may with murmuring and grudging possible bee vexed to litle purpose and sone rent a sunder Therefore for your good this way here Gods counsaile rather by the holy Prophet Rent your heartes and not your clothes and turne to the Lorde your
yet furder cōcerning naughtie men andtheir pretended naughtie consciences as they speake not to be flattered or borne w t in dealing naughtily the doctrine and practise of our Sauiour Christ is notable for vs to followe as is expressed in the Euangelistes For our Sauiour Christ themaccuseth and taketh vp the Scribes and Pharisees very short who woulde seeme to make conscience of the traditions of the Elders defendeth or excuseth his disciples in breaking thereof and regardeth not the offence taken at his doctrine and doing therein by the Pharisees reade the place and marke the whole Nowe for the Conscience of the faithfull we holde with the holy Ghost that it is purged by the blood of Christe from dead workes to serue the liuing God and the hearts are purified by fayth c. And that phrase of the holy Apostle myconscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost and the like woulde diligently bee obserued of Christians not to seuer in them selues the testimonie of conscience from that heauenly testimonte of Gods spirite as in deede not a conscience but a good conscience is required of vs by God Herevppon say I to these men and to their like and to all such euill consciences of Infidelles and other as they bryng vs in that wherevpon so euer they gounde their pretended Consciences and what course soeuer they bee entred into for religion and spiritual exercises in gods seruice that as this doctrine of the scriptures is sound true and safe so theirs is hollowe vntrue and the thing is not godly nor good Great is the iudgement of God amonge them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued Therefore to send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Ye did run wel saith s. Paul to the Galat. who did let you that you did not obey the truth It is not the persuasion of him that calleth you A little leauen doth leauen the whole lumpe I haue trust in you through the Lord that you wilbe none otherwise minded but hee that troubleth you shall beare his condemnation whosoeuer he be c. I woulde to God the very first wordes of this Apostolike sentence might bee verified in all that call themselues Romane Catholikes and continued still in vs and that with the Apostle in the last sentence wee might trust well of them as wee are assured the midle part may too truly bee applyed vnto M. howlets persuasion such like Where they holde both M. Howlet and his Authour this generall doctrine howe good soeuer the action in it selfe be or how true soeuer y t thing y t is affirmed be as for example in case of religion c that which is done affirmed by a Iew an Infidell or such like yet if it be otherwise thought of in his sight or if it be agaiust his vnderstanding iudgement and conscience as they speake the doer affirmer inforcer thereto shalbe damned for committing a deadly haynous and greeuous sinne ` This as it is deducted seemeth to me a strang Paradoxe in diuinitie groūded gentle Reader possible on some mans diuelish wisdome reason but surely vpon a very false and dangerous Catholike principle of Popery sauouring altogether of y e stinking puddle of that diuelish religion yea of the Diuell of Hel himselfe the father and authour of that religion which thus I represent vnto thee out of the writings of the greatest doctours of that side And yet sauing that they haue opened this filthie caue or styrred the 〈◊〉 for the diuelishe wickednesse filthinesse thereof would I haue spared thy Christian eares but that necessitie and the indignitie of the matter to vtter their shame and villanie wherwith they staine both heauen earth enforceth seeing the matter is thus farre brought to speake thereof There be two cases of conscience or conclusions of their Popishe writers the one of an erroneous or naughtie conscience and the bond thereof the other of perplexitie wherinto men as into a straight are driuen by this doctrine and religiō whilest of necessitie they must do euill cannot choose whereupon M. Howlet and his Authour grounde their Paradoxe or strange opinion of which the one dependeth on the other And both vpon that sentence of Gratian in his golden decree All that is done against conscience buildeth to hell fire which being well expounded might stande though but by the Popish doctrine for som to abstain from euill be it neuer so villanous to doe good be it neuer so precious is or may be against conscience in them or against their erroneous lying conscience this position is theirs and vtterly false Therefore for some say they to abstaine from euill bee it neuer so villanous to doe good be it neuer so precious buildeth to hel fire Againe the lawe of nature may bee dispensed with if two euils so presse as of necessitie y t one must bee chosen for such cases their perplexitie maketh c. Popery can intangle and snare mens consciences it can trouble disquiet yea prouide a slaughter house for them relieue and quiet them it cannot Though it be not so hard to enter this perplexed Labyrinth or Maze as to get out of it againe when one is once entred so deepe are the quiddities I tel you and the questions greatly doubtful the examples also many and straunge that in this case are brought to holde men occupied with all yet get out or helpe other therein as I may by Gods goodnesse I will enter by the Angelicall doctour D. Thomas whose doctrine and Commentaries haue the allowance of the highest and greatest of that side as a truth falling from heauen confirmed also by heauenly visions as approued aboue Upon the Epistle to the Romanes and the fourteenth Chapter whiche place M. Howlet and his fellowe woulde seeme to grounde vppon and to whose writinges herein wee are sent the willinglier doe I propounde him thus writteth D. Thomas vnder questions propounding after his manner his subtile doctrine by obiecting answering and resoluing It may be doubted sayth hee whether if a man haue an erronious or naughtie conscience that he beleeue that y t which is mortall sinne is necessarie to saluation whether such a conscience binde him So as if he doe against the same he commit damnable sinne He resolueth not onely vpon the Epistle to the Romanes but also in his Summe or common Places and elswhere that an erroneous or lying conscience in thinges of themselues simply euill bindeth a man so that hee that doth against it highly displeaseth God or as they speake sinneth mortally or deadly or to vse our mens wordes it is to the doer and enforcer a damnable sinne or horrible mortall sinne the one and the other shalbe damned therefore Herevpon riseth y t second doubt or question of perplexitie in this case whereinto
doctrine and demeamour where is that now here you demaunde a safe conduct before you will come into your Princes power and presence A token of an euill conscience What haue you done man that you are so afraide of her Maiestie that you dare not come home into your natiue Countrey to your naturall Prince and Mother as yee pretende in speech without good warrant for your safetie This is a strange and vnwonted kinde of dealing of good and honest subiectes with their Soueraignes and Princes Her Maiestie is vpright shee will doe you no wrong shee is compassionable and mercifull also you confesse it why doe you not put your selfe into her gracious 〈◊〉 handes Is this a louing and dutifull childes dealing with his naturall Mother Is this your Catholike obedience in deede towards our Queene and Prince when shee commandeth you to come home who when you list your selues can not by any prohibition bee keept hence Here here M. Howlet commeth in fitly the tryall of conscience you talked of afore Here commeth in the place of scripture for you to cōsider of y t I take you cited out of S. Iohn before Yf our hearte condemne vs God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things Here in summe commeth in the doctrine of Obedience to Princes for conscience sake as to God himselfe c. That you before said your Mother the Catholike Church together with the Apostle teacheth her children If you bee a naturall child and not a bastarde shewe your selfe nowe and heare when you are called For a childe honoureth Father and Mother where is this honour reuerence loue duetie c. All is to seeke you minde not to come before her Maiestie but vpon sure grounde once You can prouide for one I perceiue to keepe your selfe out of gunne shot you will bee a right Thraso and set your selfe behinde rather then bee in the front or forewarde when there is any danger to your person you will abide no brunt by your will you loue to talke of the matter but it shall bee a loofe and with condition What I say Be not too cowardely and too fearefull doe somewhat like to that yee talke Some deale answere your hie wordes else all the worlde will crye shame on you that so instantly craue disputation as a Suter for it and then will not vouchsafe to come to it but vppon further warraunt from your Prince Her Maiestie hath pardoned as great faultes as you haue committed Bee sorie in deede for former offence and put your selfe at least into her mercifull handes to whom you so smoothely write I pray God I spend not woordes vpon you in vain I am in doubt it is no parte of your meaning openly to come home except you may haue proclamation or letters patēts or some such stay for your safetie This is y e testimony terrour of an euil conscience you must for your safety haue her maiesties safe conduct in as ample manner as it was offered to those of our side by the councel of Trent A high point wherein there is great reason and wisdome sure that the Pope and Popish Bishops beeing strangers and our mortall enemies who not themselues only breake all faith and promise but teach and persuade princes and all other to doe the like with those of contrary religion whō they call heretikes that these men I say should haue as great credit with englishmen in her maiesties dominions as her selfe who is our naturall and most honorable louing Princesse and Queene shal haue with her english subiects wher at can you blush M. Howlet y t dare thus impudently write to our dread soueraigne Me thinketh it should haue made penne ynck paper and al to haue blushed if there had been any blushing in them we refused to accept that offer frō the Pope his councell of Trent Great reason M. Howlet answered why a good while since But you will not refuse her maiesties warrant for your saftie I am ashamed though you be not of your ouergrosse cōparison Is the case alike you say you would haue her maiesties onely worde set downe vnto you in no ampler maner then the Councell of Trent made the safe conduct to your aduersaries Those that you call your aduersaries to whome your Popes bull or safe conduct as you call it was directed by name or with whom it had principally to deale were protestant or Gospelling Kinges Princes states or publike persons commonly if any of that profession rather then priuate and obscure persons such as you and we are who without leaue of superiours coulde not go thither namely out of England It is sayde your Popes safe conducte was that the libertie of comming to that councell pertained but to them onely of our men that would repent and return to the boosome of your churche whereof hee that in english list to see more let him reade the Defence of the Apologie wil you now accept her maiesties offer in like maner on this churches behalfe ye say you desire it in no ampler maner than the counsel of Trent made the safe conduct to your aduersaries Whether it were the councels safe conduct the Popes Legates or the Pope of Romes himself who summoned the councell or which of the 3. Popes it was vnder whom that councell was Al is one Hee was and needes must be the iudge in the Councell who is the aduersarie parte and hath himselfe to answeare and yet the Lawe is that he that is cheefe in iurisdiction ought not to geue iudgement to or for himselfe Lastly sir vppon whose safe conduct soeuer our side had come to Trent Councell they had beene required either to haue yelded when they had come and conformed themselues or to haue been excom municated accursed and condemned for their labour Tell vs whether you list to come hether on like condition Thus writeth Harding your owne man of going to the Councel of Trent In deede sayth he had ye gon thither your heresies had beene confuted your selues required to yeeld and to conforme you to the Catholik church or else you had beene Anathematized accursed condemned For that was the foundation and condition of the safe conduct which was neuer willingly graunted as seemeth but extorted by the Germanes importunitie the fathers of 〈◊〉 Councell hoping as they pretended their recouerie and returne to their Catholike religion wherein they were deceiued And this safe conduct was first graunted not by the Councell vnder Pope Paule the third but vnder Iulius the third his successour after many sessions and yeeres passed too as seemeth and repeated by the Councel vnder Pius the fourth many yeeres after againe Now that the foundation and purport and meaning of this safe conduct that M. Howlet here mencioneth may appeare and be the better knowne to the Reader I set downe these words following as they were propounded in the first session vnder Pius the fourth immediatly before the safe conduct graunted to the
tender young children to be come Nouices in Monkeries Nunneries Before they knowe what the matter meaneth to vowe obedience single life wilfull pouertie c. to the vnspeakeable danger of their soules as they finde in processe of time when moe yeeres growe Doe you not knowe Syr that in our religion there is catechising and instruction in the principall pointes of christian religion both in Churches and houses for the auoiding of this danger of ignorance and superstition will the Pope of Rome or your Popish religion take vp that exercise of catechising and instructing publikely and priuately now vpon your admonition thinke you I hardly beleeue it There is much a doe here to persuade any of your side that it is necessary for their children seruants and so foorth and if they cannot themselues doe it to send them to the Pastours of the church to haue the same there for all her Maiesties and the States godly care and prouision in that behalfe and the continuall enquirie and calling vpon by those to whom that charge is committed Can you for your heart denie her Maiestie her due commendation for this her godly care ouer her people c. You content not your selfe with this first kinde of scandale because this hardly serueth you and yet herein is contained you confesse the proper signification of scandale Ye come to the seconde point of scandale in a thing of it selfe lawful Looke how much the scriptures which ye cite teaches vs so much we receiue your addition and application wee receiue not you giue vs an example of a Priestes haunting dishonest and suspected houses meaning honestly This is your addition though you giue much to your Priestes and more libertie then to laye people in these cases yet I tel you I thinke it an vnlawfull thing for a Priest to vse and haunt dishonest houses and not so lawfull as you vnder honest meaning doe here cloke it to bee you giue your Priests too large a scope to walke in or else yee thinke too well of them that they can hardely take hurt of any thing The scriptures you cite in the first Reason with many other make against this doyng of priestes in respect of God the matter and themselues and not of Scandale to other only as you here pretende hauing the licentious libertie you giue them they might easily washe away this blot of Scandale if there were no more yea they may lawfully by your doctrine doe more than this vpon their Ecclesiasticall Immunitie In the sayd second parte of your golden Decree Is it not noted set out furder in y e margin that a clarke embracing or taking a woman in his armes is presumed to doe well and that men should not be offended thereat but iudge the best Is it not sayd in your 〈◊〉 there If a clarke embrace or cull a woman it shall bee interpreted that hee doeth this to blesse her withall Is it not in an other place said by one of your men Although groping and kissing be occasions of naughtie behauiour in lay men yet in Clarkes it is otherwise for a Clarke is presumed to doe these thinges of charitie and good zeale c. Heere is expressed your honest meaning sir and shewed that many 〈◊〉 are lawfull for your priestes which caused that case to be noted vs in your glose and set out in the margin of your decrees in an other place also Wantonnes sumetime hath more right then chastitie and againe yet furder they say now that no priest is to bee deposed for fornication except he continue in it and that because our bodies are nowe frailer then they were in times past These such be now the Immunities of your Clergy men Of your third point of Scandale in respect of the enemie I saye you take so much as you thinke will serue your turne But you leaue out that which if it had beene added woulde haue answered the whole in this case for there is a Scandale in deede taken and not giuen whereby too many are offended at Iesus Christ his seruants their doctrine and well doing And so be there that bee offended at godlye sermons and at the going therto now a dayes c. But wee may not for the auoiding of this Scandale leaue so necessarie a point of our saluation as is the one and other Nowe as I haue elswhere noted our Sauiour Christ wee see regarded not the offence of the Pharisees in a matter as 〈◊〉 of lesse importance and wee 〈◊〉 not haue A better example to follow than his So he that 〈◊〉 by example exhortation c. wife children freendes seruan s and other to haunt Church exercises here vsed is so farre of from 〈◊〉 his soule or theirs as by abstaining or not doing hereof he incurreth that danger and by doing the same doth a seruice agreeable to God and but his duetie so answer I you for y e third also which falleth in 〈◊〉 y e first point Taking away your respect of worldly policie for which if any man haunt our church assemblies and not for religion and conscience sake he greatly offendeth God and his prince our Soueraigne vnder God abuseth himselfe and the Lawes is disliked of al the godly And herein you and we agree I trow for the general end of cōming to church assemblies For the seconde pointe of Scandale 〈◊〉 you 〈◊〉 comming to our Seruice or Prayers to bee first we gather and must suppose that if your Catholike offende that way by your owne doctrine his comming to our seruice is a thing of it selfe lawfull and of the owne nature not vncleane before God but in respect of the lookers on Otherwise hardly will your comparison and application proceed out of the 14. to the Romans and the 8. Chapter of the 1. to the Corinthians and how agreeth this with your whole discourse Againe where you say They that knowe him in wardly to be a Catholike will thinke him to sinne against his owne conscience c. We aske how any should knowe a man inwardely or his heart and conscience which is proper to God to knowe What man knoweth the thinges of a man but the spirite of man that is in him If you reply and say you knowe him by his owne wordes I answere that where his deedes be contrary that is no knowledge to iudge his religion by In hypocritical Catholike religion An hypocrite and double man doyng actes of contrary religion may bee and 〈◊〉 a Catholike in religion by his fayre speech and wordes contrary to that he doth and his example doe much with them that take him to bee of their religion still for his wordes sake yea and knowe him inwardly to bee a Catholike as you speake which is more In Christian and true religion contrary deedes waie downe wordes for all the fayre shew with true Christians So as but that you speake of your Catholikes and Catholike religion that is